Location:
Horn of Africa; in what is today Ethiopia. Oromia is approximately located between 3 degree and 15 degree N latitude and 33 degree and 40 degree longitude.
Size
375,000 Square Miles, or, 600,000 square kilometers; Larger than France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium & the Netherlands combined.
Population
40 million; 3rd. largest nationality in Africa; single largest nationality in East Africa.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

We have been informing our international audience about the nation-wide protests of the Oromo people since November 9, 2005. This protest is in defiance of the injustice perpetrated by the Ethiopian government against our people. The protesters have also repeatedly and consistently voiced their support for the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Below is a summary of the continued uprising in various parts of Oromia since mid-November:

Ambo

Students of the local schools and residents of the town have been confronting the Ethiopian army and police forces since the killing of three high school students by government forces early November. As a result the number of Oromos sent to remote and unknown prisons or concentration camps has risen to 130. The following is names of students arrested and imprisoned recently, excluding names we have already made public in our previous communiqué.

These students are help in incommunicado and we are afraid they may be subjected to continuous torture and denial of food and drinks.

We have been notified that on December 5, 2005, five separate explosions took place in Ambo town. So far no report of causalities has been released. We are concerned, that the government will blame students and other innocent bystanders using them as escape goats after secretly masterminding the explosions. In the past, it has repeatedly used such tactics to create a pretext for imprisonment of large number of people.

Jalduu

On November 29, 2005 Oromo students in Jalduu district of Western Shawaa zone staged a peaceful demonstration. As usual, the Ethiopian police attacked the protestors killing 2 students, Habtaamuu Bayyataa and Fiqaaduu on the spot, critically injuring two more, Nurressaa Katamaa xaafaa, and also wounding several others. One policeman has been reported to have been hurt during this demonstration. There has been extensive campaign of arrest in this district in both the city and the countryside. All schools in Jalduu remain closed since the uprising began. Similar protests are going on in neighboring districts of Geedoo and Haratoo.

Finfinnee (Addis Ababa)

On December 3, 2005, the newly appointed puppet President of Oromia, Mr. Minaase W. Georgis attempted to organize a meeting with Oromo students at Addis Ababa University. The questions raised by Oromo students included; the realization Oromo right to self-determination and to that end, a referendum for Oromos in the presence of the OLF. They also questioned OPDOs (Mr. W. Giorgis’ party) moral authority to represent Oromos while the party is actively involved in the killings and mass-imprisonment of the Oromo people as the right hand of the TPLF regime. Failing to answer any of the questions raised by the students, the marionette President aborted the meeting.

Daroolabuu and Machaaraa

Discomforted by the continued uprising of the Oromo people in Harargee zone Mr. Minaase W. Georgis arrived at the city of Sakina, in Daroolabu district on Nov, 20, 2005. When the news of his arrival was leaked, Oromo quickly gathered in the thousands and staged a demonstration, chanting and demanding implementation of article 39 of the Ethiopian constitution, demanding an immediate release of members of Macha and Tulama Self-help Organization, voicing their support for the OLF, and rejecting Minaase W. Giorgis as President of Oromia. Minaase immediately turned around and left the area without meeting anyone. Embarrassed by this development, the local OPDOs later embarked on indiscriminately harassing the residents. Their attempt to murder a resident named Diitaa Ahmad Muummee failed, but Diitaa was wounded slightly by a bullet shot by an OPDO envoy. We have been told that the OPDO has demand that Diitaa pay for the lost bullet, reminiscent of the Durg. We are in possession of individuals who are still engaged in harassing the people and might have perpetrated a crime. Some of these individuals are:

On Nov, 24, 2005, the residents of Shambuu protested by closing the main road leading to Baakkoo, thereby cutting the main line to and from the city. Similarly, on November 22, Oromos residing along the main road linking Finifinee and Western Oromia closed this artery highway at a place called Asgorii. Demonstrators gathered at the blockage chanted slogans denouncing the Meles’ regime. The Ethiopian police was dispatched to the area to disperse the demonstrators who courageously resisted the police for several hours.

Two of these students suffered serious injuries and so far did not receive any medical attention. In the statement released by the students, the students called on the Oromo people to continue their struggle against tyranny until the Oromo questions are answered. On their part, the students re-affirmed their determination to continue their struggle.

Roobee

Like in most other parts of Oromia, Oromo uprising in the Bale zone has been growing over the last several weeks. On November 21, 2005, the Oromo people residing along the main road leading to Finifnee expressed their protest by blocking the main highway using boulders and rocks. In retaliation, the police was ordered to arrest anyone seen outdoor after 9:00 pm. The police have been conducting 24 hour surveillance around residences of individuals suspected of sympathizing with the OLF. Students at Roobee Teacher’s Training College are also under blockade. Two students: Jamaal Guyyee and Tasfaayee Jamaal were arrested last week. Their whereabouts are unknown.

Gindhiir

On November 19, 2005, around 8:30 pm, the police shot a young boy. This has caused much tension in this and neighboring towns. As a result, a nearby town, Dalloo Sabroo is now under siege by heavily armed government forces. Residents are harassed and their movement within the town is heavily restricted.

Kofalee

All schools in and around Kofalee district remain closed since the uprising was ignited in early November. Extensive campaign of arrest has been unleashed in both the town of Kofalee and its surroundings. Eyewitness reports have reported that people are jammed into small cells and tortured daily.

This is just a summary of our people’s resistance to the brutality of the Ethiopian government. We hereby appeal to all concerned organizations, governments, UN and other agencies to express their strong objection to Mr. Meles Zenawi’s brutal treatment of innocent civilians and students, demand that the Ethiopian regime addresses the root causes of these protests by respecting the rights of the Oromo and all peoples of Ethiopia.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

December 1, 2005 (TEL AVIV) - Seven Ethiopian Air Force officers who ended a three-month training in Israel were on Tuesday flown to the Eritrean capital of Asmara after their request for political asylum was accepted. An eighth airman couldn't be found. Air Force sources informed Ethiomedia the defectors were Ethiopian nationals, and not Eritrean. "There may be one or two Ethiopians of Eritrean stock," the source said. "The rest are Ethiopians and their defection is an expression of their rejection to the Meles regime." The eight arrived in Israel some three months ago to receive training in un-manned air-vehicle technology. Three days ago, they abandoned their airbase in Israel and ended up seeking asylum in Eritrea.

The Meles Zenawi regime had tried to capture the defecting officers. "The Ethiopians were on a wanted list in an Israeli newspaper," the source said. "The pilots had learned a lesson from Djibouti where two defecting pilots wer forcefully handed over back to the government in Addis. This time, the officers wanted to act fast like their fellow brothers in Belarus did."Eritrean ambassador to Israel, Tesfamariam Tekeste, said the soldiers wanted to go to Asmara after their training ended in Israel. He said his government granted asylum immediately and were flown to Eritrea Tuesday night.

The ambassador said he let soldiers stay at his home and consulted his government, the UN Refugee Agency and the Israeli Foreign Ministry. After consultations Eritrea's government decided to allow the Ethiopian defectors into its territory, because of being of Eritrean origin.On Wednesday the ambassador leased a private plane and flew the soldiers to Eritrea.The Israeli Foreign Ministry was surprised by the developments and emphasized that Israel was not involved in any way in the defection.A top TPLF intelligence officer was among those Air Force members who defected to Eritrea. The list includes:1. Lt.Tewodros Belihu 2. Lt. Zerihun Tesfaye 3. Lt. Fasika Kelemework 4. Lt. Habtamu Ermias 5. Lt. Andualem Tadesse 6. Lt. Michael Berhe 7. Lt. Dawit Milion have already arrived in Eritrea. The whereabouts of the eighth, Lt. Fikremariam Teklay, remained unknown.

Legal

"In Israel we were surprised and we had nothing whatsoever to do with this whole episode," Reuters news agency quotes foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev as saying. "Foreign nationals entered Israel legally and foreign nationals exited Israel legally," he said.

These are not the first defections of Ethiopian servicemen this year. In July, three airmen defected to Djibouti - although two were subsequently returned home and the previous month, eight airmen asked for asylum in Belarus.

A peace agreement in 2000 ended a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea and led to a ruling on the border by an independent commission. But Ethiopia has not yet withdrawn its forces from the town of Badme, which was awarded to Eritrea.

In the past few months, Eritrea has imposed restrictions on the activities of the United Nations peacekeeping force patrolling the border buffer zone and both sides have reinforced their military positions.A BBC report has been included in the above news.

December 3, 2005 (Newswire) - Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is suppressing the pro-democracy movemenet in Ethiopia. Last month govenment troops killed over 50 people including children and women. They have jailed over 20000 people in harsh concetration camps. Ethiopians are now living in fear as detention, killings and torture has become common place.